Message from Pastor Mori
Dear RFUMC family.
I should start with my feelings: RFUMC I miss you!! I hope that we can meet in person more often soon! I hope you are doing well and that God is blessing you and your loved ones with continued health during this challenging time.
Without a doubt, we are truly living in unusual times. Yet, every day is different than the day before. People look like they are used to wearing masks (I am used to getting mask pimples, too!) and air hugs. We are living with endless challenges. For me, this year was the hardest year as a pastor, because no one could teach me the best way to be a pastor in a pandemic. COVID is new to everyone. With many hardships, still, I have many reasons to give thanks to God. We have a chance to get several grants from the NIC and we have received PPP, we have chance to have fundraising through the spaghetti dinner and most of all, we have you who keep sending offerings in support of God's good work.
As we near Thanksgiving, I invite you to remember the word stewardship again. I read an American bishops' pastoral letter explaining stewardship:
"Stewardship is an expression of Christian discipleship with the power to change how we understand and live out our lives. Disciples who practice stewardship recognize God as the origin of life, the giver of freedom, the source of all they have and are and will be.
They are deeply aware of the truth that "The Lord's are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it" (Ps 24:1). They know themselves to be recipients and caretakers of God's many gifts. They are grateful for what they have received and eager to cultivate their gifts out of love for God and one another."
Stewardship is deciding to follow Jesus Christ while generously sharing our financial resources with others. This is a decision to let the light of truth shine on us, moving us to make a better world through the sharing of ourselves and remembering to pray for the individuals, families and communities who are struggling during hard times— economically and spiritually.
We don't know what we will come tomorrow, but I know one clear fact: we will walk together. We will walk through this hard time as a Ravenswood Fellowship family and we will not stop doing our good work. God will be our companion.
So please join in the celebration. Stewardship Sunday is this week on Sunday, November 14. Rev. Cody Johnson will give us a message about stewardship. After worship we will have a Stewardship Luncheon in the gym where Finance Chair Alex Darcy will give us the finance report. Also, please send the pledge card back by December 15.
May God richly bless you. I am looking forward to meet you soon in-person with big hug!
Blessings
MORI | 
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